Forti, the UK's first high-protein gelato brand, closed a pre-seed funding round led by entrepreneur and investor Ollie Marchon, founder of Marchon Global and co-founder of ATHX. The round size has not been disclosed.
Capital will be used to accelerate UK retail distribution, scale production, expand the team, and build out a product pipeline that goes beyond protein.
What Forti makes
Each tub delivers the rich, authentic taste of Italian-style gelato with a
significantly higher protein content than traditional ice cream, lower sugar, and no artificial colours or flavours.
Forti positions itself between conventional ice cream and the existing roster of higher-protein frozen options, with a customer base that spans gym-goers, parents, and general dessert buyers.
The strategic fit
Ollie Marchon brings consumer and fitness brand-building experience and a sizeable engaged community that maps directly onto Forti's early customer profile.
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This funding allows us to get Forti into many more freezers across the country and start building the product range we've envisioned from the start
"Closing this round with Ollie is a huge moment for us. He understands our customer better than almost anyone and shares our belief that the UK is ready for a new kind of fortified food brand," said Forti founders Milan Nandha and Nikhil Chikhliwala.
"This funding allows us to get Forti into many more freezers across the country and start building the product range we've envisioned from the start," added the founders.
Beyond protein
Forti has flagged plans to introduce further fortifications across future products, including added fibre, vitamins, minerals, and gut-health-friendly ingredients. The intent is to position Forti as a category brand in better-for-you frozen desserts rather than a single-claim protein SKU.
What's next
Forti is currently sold through selected independent retailers and gyms. A direct-to-consumer launch is planned for later in 2026, with major UK grocery listings targeted for the back half of the year. New flavours and formats are in development.
Learn more at getforti.co.uk.
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